Medical composition for protuberance of epithelium

ABSTRACT

A medical composition for protuberance of epithelium, which comprises a solution comprising a polysaccharide or a medically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the solution has a viscosity of: (1) from 50 to 500 mPa·s at a shear rate of from 7.7 to 10.0 s −1 ; (2) from 45 to 300 mPa·s at a shear rate of from 19.2 to 20.0 s −1 ; and (3) from 40 to 200 mPa·s at a shear rate of from 38.3 to 40.0 s −1 , when measured using a rotational viscometer at 25° C., and a syringe filled with the medical composition.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a medical composition for protuberanceof epithelium, which comprises a solution comprising a polysaccharide ora salt thereof, wherein the solution has predetermined properties. Also,the present invention relates to a syringe filled with the medicalcomposition.

2. Brief Description of the Background Art

When it is necessary to apply a medical treatment to epithelium, e.g.,when it is necessary to excise epithelium, the treatment can sometimesbe facilitated by distending (elevating) the epithelium.

For example, endoscopic mucosal resection (hereinafter also referred toas “EMR”) is a method in which mucosa, such as digestive tracts, changedinto a morbid state is excised by an operation using an endoscopewithout ventrotomy, which is carried out by excising the region ofmucosa changed into a morbid state by hooking the region with a wireloop attached to the tip of the endoscope. In order to improveefficiency, workability and safety of the operation, attempts have beenmade to develop a method for distending (elevating) a mucosa regionchanged into a morbid state by injecting a high molecular polymersolution into a lower layer of the mucosa region changed into a morbidstate.

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 50(2), pp. 251-256 (1999) discloses that1.0% sodium hyaluronate solution was used for elevation of mucosa inEMR, and discloses that it was administered using a disposable syringe.

Also, the same reference discloses that “a hypertonic saline andepinephrine” and “a hypertonic saline with epinephrine and 50% glucose”have been conventionally used for elevation of mucosa in EMR.

Furthermore, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 50(5), pp. 701-704 (1999)discloses that a 0.5% sodium hyaluronate solution containing a smallamount of indigocarmine dye was used for elevation of mucosa in EMR, andthat it was administered using a 5 ml capacity syringe.

Although EMR is an operation using an endoscope, a part of vital tissuesmust be removed and, when burden to patients is taken intoconsideration, it is preferable carry out the operation as quickly andsecurely as possible. Thus, great concern has been directed toward thedevelopment of a composition for quickly and securely carrying outmedical treatments of epithelium, including the EMR.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for morequickly and securely carrying out medical treatments of epithelium, moreparticularly, a composition which can quickly carry out injection of asolution in treatment of epithelium, can keep high protuberance(elevation) of epithelium for a certain period of time, can exclude thenecessity for additionally injecting a solution during the treatment ofepithelium as small as possible, and can improve workability intreatment of epithelium.

Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a syringewhich is quickly used for the protuberance (elevation) of epithelium intreatment of epithelium.

These and other objects of the present invention have been accomplishedby a medical composition for protuberance (elevation) of epithelium,which comprises a solution comprising a polysaccharide or a medicallyacceptable salt thereof, wherein the solution has a viscosity of:

(1) from 50 to 500 mPa·s at a shear rate of from 7.7 to 10.0 s⁻¹;(2) from 45 to 300 mPa·s at a shear rate of from 19.2 to 20.0 s⁻¹; and(3) from 40 to 200 mPa·s at a shear rate of from 38.3 to 40.0 s⁻¹,

when measured using a rotational viscometer at 25° C. (hereinafterreferred to as “composition of the present invention”).

Furthermore, these and other objects of the present invention have beenaccomplished by a syringe filled with the composition of the presentinvention (hereinafter referred to as “syringe of the presentinvention”).

Moreover, these and other objects of the present invention have beenaccomplished by a method for resecting epithelium, which comprises:

administering an effective amount of the medical composition to underepithelium to thereby obtain protuberance of the epithelium; andresecting the protuberance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As a result of intensive studies carried out in order to solve the aboveproblems, the present inventors have found that when a solution havingspecified properties is used, the solution can be injected easily eventhrough a thin catheter and needle and also high protuberance ofepithelium can be kept for a certain period of time. Thus, the presentinvention has been completed.

It is preferable for the composition of the present invention that, in asyringe having a catheter needle and a piston which is filled with thesolution, a force required for discharging the solution from the tip ofthe catheter needle by pushing the piston at a constant rate of 1mm/second and at 25° C. is:

(1) 6.0 kgf or less when the catheter needle has a catheter length of1,650 mm and a needle diameter of 21 G (gauge); and(2) 10.0 kgf or less when the catheter needle has a catheter length of2,300 mm and a needle diameter of 25 G (gauge).

Furthermore, it is preferable in the composition of the presentinvention that, when 0.5 ml of the solution is injected under mucosa inthe vicinity of a greater curvature pyloric portion of stomach of arabbit from its gastric serosa side using an injection needle having aneedle diameter of 27G and subsequently allowed to stand for 30 minutesto obtain protuberance of the mucosa, and then a region comprising theprotuberance is quickly frozen and vertically incised from the apex ofthe protuberance, the protuberance in the vertically incised section hasa height of 5.0 mm or more from a mucosa surface of a region to whichthe solution is not injected.

The polysaccharide used in the composition of the present invention ispreferably a glycosaminoglycan, and the glycosaminoglycan is preferablyhyaluronic acid.

Also, when hyaluronic acid is used as the glycosaminoglycan, its weightaverage molecular weight (hereinafter referred to as “Mw”) is preferablyfrom 600,000 to 3,900,000, more preferably from 700,000 to 3,000,000,and most preferably from 700,000 to 1,200,000 or from 1,900,000 to3,000,000.

It is also preferable that the composition of the present inventionfurther comprises chondroitin sulfate or a medically acceptable saltthereof. In this case, the ratio of the “hyaluronic acid or medicallyacceptable salt thereof” to the “chondroitin sulfate or medicallyacceptable salt thereof” is preferably from 1/10 to 1/20 (w/w(weight/weight)).

The epithelium having protuberance obtained by the composition of thepresent invention is preferably mucosa, and more preferably digestiveorgan mucosa. Also, it is preferable to use the composition of thepresent invention for a mucosal resection.

<1> Composition of the Present Invention

The composition of the present invention is a medical composition forprotuberance of epithelium, which comprises a solution comprising apolysaccharide or a medically acceptable salt thereof, wherein thesolution has a specific viscosity at each shear rate shown in Table 1below, when measured using a rotational viscometer at 25° C.

TABLE 1 Shear rate (s⁻¹) Viscosity (mPa · s)  7.7 to 10.0 50 to 500 19.2to 20.0 45 to 300 38.3 to 40.0 40 to 200

(1) Polysaccharide or a Medically Acceptable Salt Thereof

The polysaccharide used in the composition of the present invention isnot particularly limited, so long as it is suitable for medical use, andvarious polysaccharides can be used but a glycosaminoglycan isparticularly preferable. Examples of the glycosaminoglycan includehyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, keratan sulfate, heparin andheparan sulfate. Among these, hyaluronic acid is more preferred.

Also, examples of the medically acceptable salt of polysaccharideinclude medically acceptable salts selected from salts with inorganicbases such as alkali metal salts (e.g., sodium salts, lithium salts andpotassium salts), alkaline earth metal salts (e.g., calcium salts andmagnesium salts) and ammonium salt, and salts with organic bases such asdiethanolamine salts, cyclohexylamine salts and amino acid salts. Amongthese, alkali metal salts are preferable, and sodium salts are morepreferable.

The present invention is specifically described with reference to thecase in which hyaluronic acid is used as the polysaccharide.

The origin of hyaluronic acid or a medically acceptable salt thereofused in this case is not particularly limited, and, e.g., those whichare separated and purified from chicken crest, umbilical cords orhyaluronic acid-producing microorganisms can be used. Particularlypreferred examples are those which are highly purified and havesubstantially no substances whose contamination is not allowed as amedicament. As the medically acceptable salt of hyaluronic acid, thesalts described above can be used, and sodium hyaluronate is morepreferable.

The Mw of hyaluronic acid or a medically acceptable salt thereof used inthe present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferablyshown in Table 2 below. The higher the No. in Table 2 is, the morepreferable the range is.

TABLE 2 No. Mw 1 600,000 to 3,900,000 2 700,000 to 3,000,000 3 700,000to 1,200,000 or 1,900,000 to 3,000,000 4 800,000 to 1,000,000 or1,900,000 to 2,500,000 5 850,000 to 950,000 or 2,000,000 to 2,400,000 6880,000 to 920,000 or 2,100,000 to 2,300,000 7 about 900,000 or about2,200,000

Also, the Mw of hyaluronic acid or a medically acceptable salt thereofused in the present invention can be calculated based on the equation ofLaurent et al. (Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 42, 476 (1960)) by measuring alimiting viscosity in accordance with. The Japanese Pharmacopoeia,Thirteenth Edition, General Tests, “Viscosity Determination” (1996).

Additionally, the preferable relationship between the limiting viscosityof hyaluronic acid or a medically acceptable salt thereof and the Mw isshown in Table 3 below.

TABLE 3 Limiting viscosity No. Mw (dl/g) 1   600,000 to 3,900,000 11.5to 54.5 2   700,000 to 3,000,000 13.0 to 44.0 3   700,000 to 1,200,00013.0 to 20.0 1,900,000 to 3,000,000 30.0 to 44.0 4   800,000 to1,000,000 14.5 to 17.0 1,900,000 to 2,500,000 30.0 to 38.0 5 850,000 to950,000 15.0 to 16.5 2,000,000 to 2,400,000 31.5 to 36.5 6 880,000 to920,000 15.5 to 16.0 2,100,000 to 2,300,000 33.0 to 35.5 7 about 900,000about 16.0 about 2,200,000 about 34.0

Preferably, the composition of the present invention further compriseschondroitin sulfate or a medically acceptable salt thereof, in additionto hyaluronic acid or a medically acceptable salt thereof.

The origin of chondroitin sulfate or a medically acceptable salt thereofused in this case is not particularly limited, and, e.g., those whichare separated and purified from cartilage of fishes (e.g., sharks) andmammals (e.g., whales and cattle) can be used. Particularly preferredexamples are those which contain substantially no substances whosecontamination is not allowed as a medicament. As the medicallyacceptable salt of chondroitin sulfate, the salts described above can beused, and sodium chondroitin sulfate is more preferable.

The Mw of chondroitin sulfate or a medically acceptable salt thereofused herein is generally from several thousands to about 50,000,preferably from about 10,000 to 40,000, and more preferably from about20,000 to 30,000.

Particularly, sodium chondroitin sulfate having the following properties(1) and (2) is exceedingly preferable:

(1) the nitrogen content when a dried sample is determined is from 2.5to 3.8%;(2) the sulfur content when a dried sample is determined is from 5.5 to7.5%.

Furthermore, the sodium chondroitin sulfate having the followingproperties (3) to (9) is more preferable:

(3) when 1.0 g of the sodium chondroitin sulfate is dissolved in 100 mlof water, the solution is colorless to slightly yellow transparent;(4) the chloride content is 0.142% or less;(5) the sulfate content is 0.24% or less;(6) the heavy metal content is 20 ppm or less;(7) the arsenic content is 2 ppm or less;(8) the drying loss is 10.0% or less (1 g, 105° C., 4 hours);(9) the ignition residue is from 23.0 to 31.0% (1 g, after drying).

Also, the properties (1) to (9) can be measured by the general testsdescribed in A Guide for The Japanese Pharmacopoeia, Thirteenth Edition(published by Hirokawa Shoten) and the methods described in The JapaneseMedical Codex (1997).

According to the composition of the present invention further comprisingchondroitin sulfate or a medically acceptable salt thereof, in additionto hyaluronic acid or a medically acceptable salt thereof, the ratio ofthe “hyaluronic acid or medically acceptable salt thereof” to the“chondroitin sulfate or medically acceptable salt thereof” is preferablyfrom 1/10 to 1/20 (w/w).

A solution comprising the polysaccharide or a medically acceptable saltthereof can be used as the solution comprising the composition of thepresent invention. The solution can be prepared by dissolving thepolysaccharide or a medically acceptable salt thereof in an appropriatemedically acceptable solvent. A kind of the solvent is not particularlylimited, and sterilized distilled water or physiological salt solutioncan be used.

Among the solutions of polysaccharide or a medically acceptable saltthereof, a solution having the property shown in Table 1 above is usedas the composition of the present invention.

As the rotational viscometer, a commercially available product can beused, and the shear rate can be adjusted by appropriately setting andselecting the rotation speed and type and size of the rotor (rotatingdevice). Specific type and size of the rotor are not particularlylimited, so long as they are generally used, and, e.g., a cone spindletype having “an angle of 1° 34′ and a radius of 24 mm” or “an angle of3° and a radius of mm” can be used. The most preferable example isreferred to Example described below.

Using such an instrument, a solution can be obtained used as thecomposition of the present invention, by appropriately adjusting a kindand an amount of the polysaccharide or a medically acceptable saltthereof and the solvent in such a manner that the solution shows each ofthe viscosity at each of the shear rate at 25° C.

A concentration of the polysaccharide or a medically acceptable saltthereof in the solution used as the composition of the present inventionis not limited, so long as it has the property described in the above,and can be appropriately set in response to the kind, Mw and combinationof the polysaccharide or a medically acceptable salt thereof. When twoor more polysaccharides or medically acceptable salts thereof are used,it may be considered in the same manner on a solution in which they aremixed.

Furthermore, preferably, the solution used as the composition of thepresent invention further has the following property.

In a syringe having a catheter needle and a piston which is filled withthe solution, a preferable range of a force required for discharging thesolution from the tip of the catheter needle by pushing the piston at aconstant rate of 1 mm/second at 25° C. is shown in Table 4 below. Thehigher the No. in Table 4 is, the more preferable the range is.

TABLE 4 Force Catheter needle (1) Catheter needle (2) Catheter length:1,650 mm Catheter length: 2,300 mm No. Needle diameter: 21 G Needlediameter: 25 G 1 6.0 kgf or less 10.0 kgf or less  2 6.0 kgf or less 9.0kgf or less 3 5.0 kgf or less 7.5 kgf or less 4 5.0 kgf or less 7.0 kgfor less 5 4.0 kgf or less 7.0 kgf or less

The property can be measured by filling a syringe equipped with acatheter needle having the predetermined catheter length and needlediameter with the solution, and measuring a force required fordischarging the solution from the tip of the catheter needle by pushingthe piston at a constant rate of 1 mm/second. The measurement is carriedout at 25° C. An inner diameter of the cylinder of the syringe (outerdiameter of the piston under a state of being kept inside the cylinder)is set to about 14 mm. The most preferable example of the measuringmethod is referred to Example described below.

Furthermore, preferably, the composition of the present inventionfurther has the following property.

When 0.5 ml of the solution is injected under mucosa in the vicinity ofa greater curvature pyloric portion of stomach of a rabbit from itsgastric serosa side using an injection needle having a needle diameterof 27G and subsequently allowed to stand for 30 minutes to obtainprotuberance of the mucosa, and then a region comprising theprotuberance is quickly frozen and vertically incised from the apex ofthe protuberance, the protuberance in the vertically incised section hasan average height of 5.0 mm or more, preferably 5.1 mm or more, and morepreferably 5.2 mm or more, from a mucosa surface of a region to whichthe solution is not injected.

Since there is a possibility that an amount of the solution leaked fromthe region where the needle is inserted slightly differs depending onthe needle diameter (thickness), the needle diameter of the needle wasspecified to 27 G in specifying the property in order to excludeinfluences caused thereby. Also, it is preferable to use dry ice for thequick freezing.

After the quick freezing, the administered region is vertically incisedfrom the protuberance apex (vertical incision against the mucosa surfaceto which the solution is not administered). Next, using the mucosasurface in the section appeared by the vertical incision, to which thesolution is not administered, as a standard, the height therefrom to theprotuberance apex of the mucosa (mucosa surface being the protuberanceapex) is measured. It is necessary to carry out a series of theseoperations while the frozen state is maintained, and since themeasurement must be accurate and objective, it is preferable to measurethe height by photographing the section appeared by the verticalincision and subjecting it to image analysis.

The evaluation of the height is preferably carried out using an averagevalue based on plural tests. The tests are carried out, for example,about 4 times.

The most preferable example of the measuring method is referred toExample described below.

By using the solution comprising a polysaccharide or a medicallyacceptable salt thereof, the composition of the present invention whichcan perform easy solution injection and has good ability to keepprotuberance of epithelium can be obtained.

Preferable examples of the solution comprising a polysaccharide or amedically acceptable salt thereof used in the composition of the presentinvention include:

(a) from 0.35 to 0.44% (w/v (weight/volume)) of sodium hyaluronate (Mw:from 700,000 to 1,200,000);(b) from 0.15 to 0.34% (w/v) of sodium hyaluronate (Mw: from 1,900,000to 3,000,000); and(c) a combination of from 0.05 to 0.24% (w/v) of sodium hyaluronate (Mw:from 1,900,000 to 3,000,000) with from 1.5 to 2.4% (w/v) of sodiumchondroitin sulfate (Mw: from 20,000 to 30,000).

In the above solution (a), more preferable ranges are shown in Table 5below. The higher the No. in Table 5 is, the more preferable the rangeis.

TABLE 5 Sodium hyaluronate No. Mw Concentration (w/v) 1   800,000 to1,000,000 0.35 to 0.44% 2 850,000 to 950,000 0.35 to 0.44% 3 850,000 to950,000 0.38 to 0.42% 4 880,000 to 920,000 0.38 to 0.42% 5 880,000 to920,000 0.4% 6 about 900,000 0.4%

In the above solution (b), more preferable ranges are shown in Table 6below. The higher the No. in Table 6 is, the more preferable the rangeis.

TABLE 6 Sodium hyaluronate No. Mw Concentration (w/v) 1 1,900,000 to2,500,000 0.15 to 0.34% 2 2,000,000 to 2,400,000 0.15 to 0.34% 32,100,000 to 2,300,000 0.15 to 0.34% 4 2,100,000 to 2,300,000 0.18 to0.32% 5 2,150,000 to 2,250,000 0.18 to 0.32% 6 2,150,000 to 2,250,0000.2% or 0.3% 7 about 2,200,000 0.2% or 0.3%

In the above solution (c), more preferable combinations and ranges areshown in Table 7 below. The higher the No. in Table 7 is, the morepreferable the combination and range are.

TABLE 7 Sodium hyaluronate Sodium chondroitin sulfate No. Mw Conc. (w/v)Mw Conc. (w/v) 1 1,900,000 to 2,500,000 0.05 to 0.24% 20,000 to 30,0001.5 to 2.4% 2 2,000,000 to 2,400,000 0.05 to 0.24% 20,000 to 30,000 1.5to 2.4% 3 2,100,000 to 2,300,000 0.05 to 0.24% 20,000 to 30,000 1.5 to2.4% 4 2,100,000 to 2,300,000 0.08 to 0.22% 20,000 to 30,000 1.5 to 2.4%5 2,150,000 to 2,250,000 0.08 to 0.22% 20,000 to 30,000 1.5 to 2.4% 62,150,000 to 2,250,000 0.08 to 0.22% 20,000 to 30,000 1.8 to 2.2% 72,150,000 to 2,250,000 0.1% or 0.2% 20,000 to 30,000 1.8 to 2.2% 82,150,000 to 2,250,000 0.1% or 0.2% 20,000 to 30,000 2.0% 9 about2,200,000 0.1% or 0.2% 20,000 to 30,000 2.0%

These are merely illustrations, and other examples can be employed assolutions used in the composition of the present invention, so long asthey have the properties described in the above.

Also, the concentration of endotoxin in the composition of the presentinvention is preferably 0.25 EU/ml or less. The endotoxin concentrationcan be measured using an endotoxin measuring method well known andconventionally used by those skilled in the art, but the Limulus testmethod which uses horseshoe crab amoebocyte lysate components ispreferable. Also, the EU (endotoxin unit) can be measured and calculatedin accordance with the Japanese Industrial Standard, Biochemical ReagentProvisions (JIS K8008). Also, the iron content is preferably 20 ppm orless.

Also, the composition of the present invention preferably has a pH offrom 3 to 10, more preferably from 4 to 10, still more preferably from 5to 9, most preferably from 6 to 8, and far most preferably 6.8 to 7.8.

Moreover, the composition of the present invention preferably has anosmotic pressure ratio (a ratio to physiological saline) of from 0.7 to1.4, more preferably from 0.8 to 1.3, and most preferably from 0.9 to1.2.

Furthermore, other medicinally active components and componentsgenerally used in medicaments such as generally used stabilizers,emulsifiers, osmotic pressure controlling agents, buffer agents,tonicity agents, preservatives, soothing agents, coloring agents,fillers, binders, lubricants and disintegrating agents can be containedin the composition of the present invention, so long as they do not havebad influences on the polysaccharide or a medically acceptable saltthereof contained in the composition of the present invention, do nothave influences on the effects of the present invention and have theproperties as the composition of the present invention.

The epithelium distended by the composition of the present invention isnot limited, so long as it is an epithelium whose protuberance isdesired, and examples include skin and mucosa. Particularly, mucosa ispreferable.

Mucosa includes digestive organ mucosa (e.g., oral mucosa andgastrointestinal mucosa), respiratory organ mucosa (e.g., nasal septummucosa) and urogenital mucosa (e.g., bladder mucosa, vaginal mucosa anduterine mucosa). Among these, digestive organ mucosa is preferable.

Among the digestive organ mucosa, gastrointestinal mucosa is preferable.Examples of the gastrointestinal mucosa include esophageal mucosa,gastric mucosa, duodenal mucosa and large intestine mucosa.

The composition of the present invention is preferably used in mucosalresection. Regarding the mucosal resection, various operation methodsare known in response to the regions where the mucosal resection iscarried out and the tools and methods to be employed. Specifically,endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), mucosal resection under alaparoscope, mucosal resection under a hysteroscope, transurethralbladder tumor resection and mucosal resection using a laser can beexemplified, and the composition of the present invention can be used inany one of these mucosal resections. Also, it is particularly preferablethat the composition of the present invention is used in endoscopicmucosal resection (EMR) among these.

The composition of the present invention can be used by administering itunder an epithelium region where protuberance of epithelium is required.When the composition of the present invention is administered under anepithelium, the administered composition of the present inventionretains between the epithelium and muscle layer, and the epithelium isdistended thereby. In order to prevent leaking of the administeredcomposition of the present invention, the composition of the presentinvention is preferably administered by injection. Since medicaltreatment of epithelium becomes easy by distending the epithelium,epithelium treatment can be carried out more quickly and accurately.

A dose of the composition of the present invention is appropriatelyselected, depending on the object for treating epithelium, area of theepithelium to be treated and the administration method, withoutlimitation, but roughly, 5 to 100 ml can be exemplified when used inhuman EMR.

Also, when the composition of the present invention is administered byinjection, it can be used by filling it in a syringe at the clinicalfield, but the filling labor and risk of causing contamination at thefield can be reduced by the use of the following syringe of the presentinvention.

<2> Syringe of the Present Invention

The syringe of the present invention is a drug-filled syringe in whichthe composition of the present invention is filled in advance. Accordingto the syringe of the present invention, the composition of the presentinvention filled in the syringe is sealed with a piston, a plunger, astopper or a cap, so that it can be distributed under conditions ofbeing filled with the composition of the present invention. The syringeof the present invention can be produced by filling the composition ofthe present invention in a syringe.

The composition of the present invention filled in the syringe of thepresent invention is described above.

A material, shape and size of the syringe filled with the composition ofthe present invention are not particularly limited, and those which arealready known can be employed.

Furthermore, the method for filling the composition of the presentinvention in the syringe is also not particularly limited, and a knownmethod can be employed.

When the syringe of the present invention is used, the labor for fillingthe composition of the present invention in a syringe and risk ofcausing contamination at the clinical field can be reduced.

The composition of the present invention can be injected quickly andeasily as a solution even through thin catheter and needle and can keepa high protuberance of epithelium during its treatment. Thus, thecomposition of the present invention contributes to easier treatment ofthe epithelium as a vital tissue and to the shortening of the treatingperiod. Also, since a necessity for additionally injecting a solutionduring the treatment can be reduced, the treatment can be carried outmore safely and accurately. Accordingly, the composition of the presentinvention leads to the alleviation of burden on a patient who issubjected to a treatment of epithelium and therefore is markedly useful.

Furthermore, the syringe of the present invention is markedly useful,because it is already filled with the composition of the presentinvention, so that labor for the filling and risk of causingcontamination at the clinical field can be reduced.

The present invention is described in more detail based on Example;however, the present invention is not limited thereto.

Example 1. Substances to be Tested (1) Sodium Hyaluronate

The following sodium hyaluronate samples were used as the medicallyacceptable salt of hyaluronic acid:

(a) Mw: 900,000, limiting viscosity: 15.9 dl/g (hereinafter referred toas “HA90”);(b) Mw: 2,200,000, limiting viscosity: 34.0 dl/g (hereinafter referredto as “HA220”);(c) a commercially available sodium hyaluronate intraarticular injection(trade name: Suvenyl®, available from Chugai Pharmaceutical, averagemolecular weight: 1,900,000 to 2,500,000) (hereinafter referred to as“HA-S”); and(d) a commercially available sodium hyaluronate agent (trade name:Healon®, available from Pharmacia, average molecular weight: 1,900,000to 3,900,000) (hereinafter referred to as “HA-H”).

(2) Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate

As the medically acceptable salt of chondroitin sulfate, sodiumchondroitin sulfate (hereinafter referred to as “CS”) prepared byextracting a shark cartilage by treating it with a protease in the usualway, subjecting the extract to a deproteinization using a protease afterremoving fat and solid contents and then purifying it by an alcoholprecipitation method was used.

The Mw of the CS was 30,000, and its dried product (powder) showed thefollowing properties:

(1) the nitrogen content: 3.40%;(2) the sulfur content: 6.82%;(3) color of liquid when 1.0 g of the compound is dissolved in 100 ml ofwater: colorless to slightly yellow transparent;(4) the chloride content: 0.142% or less;(5) the sulfate content: 0.24% or less;(6) the heavy metal content: 20 ppm or less;(7) the arsenic content: 2 ppm or less;(8) the drying loss: 5.67% (1 g, 105° C., 4 hours); and(9) the ignition residue: 26.3% (1 g, after drying).

2. Preparation of Various Solutions and Viscosity

Solutions were prepared by dissolving the HA90, HA220, HA-S, HA-H and CSin physiological saline to give the following composition concentration(% (w/v)). Also, the viscosity (mPa·s) of each of these solutions at thefollowing shear rate was measured at 25° C. using an RE80L typerotational viscometer and a cone spindle type rotor (angle: 1° 34′;radius: 24 mm) (manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.). The results areshown in Tables 8 and 9 below. In this case, shows that it is an exampleof the composition of the present invention, and “ND” means that themeasurement was not carried out.

TABLE 8 Shear rate 7.7 s⁻¹ 19.2 s⁻¹ 38.3 s⁻¹  (1) Physiological ND ND NDsaline  (2) 0.1% HA220 ND 18.7 16.1  (3) 0.2% HA220 * 134.7  93.7 ND (4) 0.3% HA220 * ND ND ND  (5) 0.4% HA90 * 52.2 50.6 47.6  (6) 0.5%HA90 94.3 88.9 ND  (7) 0.2% HA-S * ND ND ND  (8) 0.25% HA-S * ND ND ND (9) 0.3% HA-S * ND ND ND (10) 0.2% HA-H * ND ND ND (11) 0.25% HA-H * NDND ND (12) 0.3% HA-H * ND ND ND (13) 2.0% CS ND ND  7.4 (14) 3.0% CS ND13.8 13.6 (15) 4.0% CS ND 24.8 24.8 (16) 5.0% CS 41.1 40.7 40.7 (17)2.0% CS + 22.2 20.2 19.0 0.05% HA220 (18) 2.0% CS + 58.8 49.2 41.8 0.1%HA220 * (19) 2.0% CS + ND ND ND 0.2% HA220 * (20) 3.0% CS + 36.9 34.432.3 0.05% HA220

TABLE 9 Shear rate 1.9 s⁻¹ 3.8 s⁻¹ (19) 2.0% CS + 397.2 243.3 0.2% HA220*

Also, the viscosity (mPa·s) of each of the following solutions at thefollowing shear rate was measured under the same conditions, except thata cone spindle type rotor (angle: 3°; radius: 14 mm) (manufactured byToki Sangyo Co., Ltd.) was used as the rotor. The results are shown inTable 10 below.

TABLE 10 Shear rate 8.0 s⁻¹ 20.0 s⁻¹ 40.0 s⁻¹ (3) 0.2% HA220 * ND 94.968.1 (4) 0.3% HA220 * 323.8 205.1 137.1 (5) 0.4% HA90 * ND 61.1 57.6 (6)0.5% HA90 ND 132.2 117.4 (7) 0.2% HA-S * ND 68.6 54.5 (8) 0.25% HA-S *177.3 132.2 98.5 (9) 0.3% HA-S * 306.2 215.3 152.3 (10)  0.2% HA-H *163.6 109.6 77.5 (11)  0.25% HA-H * 280.8 175.2 117.2 (12)  0.3% HA-H *465.9 274.6 177.1

It was found from the above results that (3) 0.2% HA220, (4) 0.3% HA220,(5) 0.4% HA90, (6) 0.5% HA90, (7) 0.2% HA-S, (8) 0.25% HA-S, (9) 0.3%HA-S, (10) 0.2% HA-H, (11) 0.25% HA-H, (12) 0.3% HA-H, (18) 2.0% CS+0.1%HA220 and (19) 2.0% CS+0.2% HA220 satisfied the following conditionsshown in Table 11, but the other solutions did not satisfied them.

TABLE 11 Shear rate (s⁻¹) Viscosity (mPa · s)  7.7 to 10.0 50 to 50019.2 to 20.0 45 to 300 38.3 to 40.0 40 to 200

Also, the measurement was not carried out regarding the “ND”, and themeasurement was not carried out at the predetermined shear rateparticularly on (19) 2.0% CS+0.2% HA220, but whether or not they satisfythe above conditions can be easily judged by those skilled in the artwhen the results at other shear rate are compared with the technicalcommon knowledge in the technical field.

When the endotoxin concentration in these solutions was measured usingToxi Color (trade name; manufactured by Seikagaku Corporation), it was0.25 EU/ml or less in all of them. Also, the iron content was 20 ppm orless in all of them.

Furthermore, the pH of these solutions was within the range of from 6.8to 7.8, and the osmotic pressure ratio (ratio to physiological saline)was within the range of from 0.9 to 1.2.

3. Discharging Force from Needle

Also, a syringe (inner diameter of the cylinder: 14 mm) equipped withthe following catheter needle was filled with each of these solutions,and a force required for discharging the solution from the tip of acatheter needle when a piston of the syringe was pushed at a constantrate of 1 mm/second was measured under a condition of 25° C. using arheometer (trade name: FUDOH Rheometer NRM-2020J Type, manufactured byRheotech).

(1) Catheter length: 1,650 mm, needle diameter: 21 G (product name:Disposable Needle NM NM-200L-0421, manufactured by Olympus; hereinafteralso referred to as “Catheter 1”)(2) Catheter length: 2,300 mm, needle diameter: 25 G (product name:Disposable Needle NM NM-200U-0625, manufactured by Olympus; hereinafteralso referred to as “Catheter 2”)

The results obtained by calculating average values by measuring 1 to 3times for each sample are shown in Table 12 below as “averagevalue±standard deviation (kgf)”. In this case, * shows that it is anexample of the composition of the present invention, and “ND” means thatthe measurement was not carried out.

TABLE 12 Catheter 1 Catheter 2  (1) Physiological 0.4 ± 0.05 0.7 ± 0.07saline  (2) 0.1% HA220 1.3 ± 0.04 2.4 ± 0.00  (3) 0.2% HA220 * 2.6 ±0.06 4.3 ± 0.16  (4) 0.3% HA220 * 3.8 ± 0.00 6.4 ± 0.00  (5) 0.4% HA90 *4.5 ± 0.00 6.9 ± 0.29  (6) 0.5% HA90 6.5 ± 0.00 9.6 ± 0.58 (13) 2.0% CS1.9 ± 0.01 4.2 ± 0.07 (14) 3.0% CS 3.6 ± 0.13 7.5 ± 0.09 (15) 4.0% CS6.3 ± 0.24 12.8 ± 0.30  (16) 5.0% CS 10.0 ± 0.30  19.2 ± 0.73  (17) 2.0%CS + 2.9 ± 0.10 6.0 ± 0.08 0.05% HA220 (18) 2.0% CS + 3.9 ± 0.08 7.1 ±0.00 0.1% HA220 * (19) 2.0% CS + 5.6 ± 0.13 9.6 ± 0.00 0.2% HA220 * (20)3.0% CS + 5.0 ± 0.07 9.8 ± 0.28 0.05% HA220

4. Action to Maintain Protuberance (Elevation) of Epithelium

Under inhalation anesthesia of isoflurane (manufactured by DainipponPharmaceutical), 0.5 ml of the solution was administered under themucosa in the vicinity of a greater curvature pyloric portion of stomachof a rabbit of female JW species having a body weight of from 2.60 to3.43 kg, from the gastric serosa side using a needle having a needlediameter of 27G. After 30 minutes of standing, the stomach was excised,and the administered region was quickly frozen with dry ice and thenvertically incised from the protuberance apex on the administered region(vertical incision against the mucosa surface to which the solution wasnot administered). The section appeared by the vertical incision underfrozen state was photographed, and using the mucosa surface of theregion to which the solution was not administered as a standard, theheight therefrom to the protuberance apex of the mucosa (mucosa surfacebeing the protuberance apex) was measured using an image analyzingsoftware (Image pro Plus™, manufactured by Media Cybernetics). Theresults are shown in Table 13 below as “average value±standard deviation(mm) (4 sites for 1 group)”. In this case, * shows that it is an exampleof the composition of the present invention.

TABLE 13  (1) Physiological 3.8 ± 0.6 saline  (2) 0.1% HA220 4.8 ± 1.0 (3) 0.2% HA220 * 5.1 ± 0.4  (4) 0.3% HA220 * 5.0 ± 0.5  (5) 0.4% HA90 *5.2 ± 0.4  (6) 0.5% HA90 5.0 ± 0.4 (13) 2.0% CS 4.2 ± 0.8 (14) 3.0% CS4.4 ± 0.5 (15) 4.0% CS 5.0 ± 0.6 (16) 5.0% CS 4.8 ± 0.8 (17) 2.0% CS +4.7 ± 0.3 0.05% HA220 (18) 2.0% CS + 5.6 ± 1.0 0.1% HA220 * (19) 2.0%CS + 5.3 ± 0.5 0.2% HA220 * (20) 3.0% CS + 4.9 ± 0.5 0.05% HA220

It was found from the above results that the use of a polysaccharidesolution having the following property renders possible provision of acomposition which facilitates its easy administration due to reduceddischarging force when the solution is injected through thin catheterand needle using a syringe (it is 6.0 kgf or less when the catheterlength is 1,650 mm and the needle diameter is 21 G, and it is 10.0 kgfor less when the catheter length is 2,300 mm and the needle diameter is25 G) and which also can keep protuberance of epithelium at such aheight that treatment of the epithelium can be easily carried out(average 5.0 mm or more) for a certain period of time (30 minutes).

When measured using a rotational viscometer under a condition of 25° C.,its viscosity at the following shear rate is shown in Table 14 below.

TABLE 14 Shear rate (s⁻¹) Viscosity (mPa · s)  7.7 to 10.0 50 to 50019.2 to 20.0 45 to 300 38.3 to 40.0 40 to 200

While the present invention has been described in detail and withreference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one ofskill in the art that various changes and modifications can be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Allreferences cited herein are incorporated in their entirety.

This application is based on Japanese application No. 2001-339471 filedon Nov. 5, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated hereintoby reference.

1-16. (canceled)
 17. A method for resecting epithelium, which comprises:administering an effective amount of a medical composition to underepithelium to thereby obtain protuberance of the epithelium; andresecting the protuberance, wherein the medical composition comprises asolution comprising sodium hyaluronate having a weight average molecularweight of from 880,000 to 920,000 and its concentration in the solutionis 0.4% (w/v).
 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein theepithelium is mucosa.
 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein themucosa is digestive organ mucosa.
 20. The method according to claim 17,which is used for a mucosal resection.
 21. The method according to claim17, wherein the composition is administered using a syringe.